Agreed, I think it is the best suggestion so far, but I'm still not sure I'd bother to carry one.

This is getting about as much attention at that thread a few years ago from an American asking advice about carrying a gun (but without the character attacks for even thinking of asking that question )

Frankly, I would let them have my stuff. I don't wanna lose my life defending things that are replaceable. But if it comes down to defending your life... use any and everything you can, even if it lands you in legal trouble!

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A smaller maglite that is just longer than the width of your palm, held inside your fist, and brought down onto something that'll hurt them with the end just proud is quite effective I'm told?

Or similarly;

Kubotan - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Did a Kubotan course when I was still into my kick-boxing.

A cursory effort as it was a day course just for kicks (excuse the pun). However, I can say that to use it effectively you would need to be well-rehearsed in pressure points and have a very good degree of hand eye coordination to make it any more effective than a punch: you need to be just as close.

Me? At the first sign of trouble I leap for the nearest log and, within seconds, whittle it into a life-size replica of a Desert Eagle handgun.

Works everytime I imagine it...

In the half-light of dusk I just hope they can't see the grain of the wood down the barrel....

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Very Interesting thread.

I did a Krav Maga course which was very interesting and exhausting. Theres a lot you can do with a simple object such as a pen or maglite. Knowing how to disarm someone and get out of strangle holds is very useful, especially when I spend a lot of time walking back from nights out. They take this into consideration too when they teach you; realising you may be drunk when counter attacking so they make you dizzy before a sparing session and then you take on four blokes/lasses.

This being said, if a guy with a pistol held me up at a cash machine and I was with a group of people I would proabably let hime get away with it knowing that I was responsible for any stray bullet.

On your own against street scum and crack heads with knives is childs play, out in the sticks with god knows who pointing an assult rifle at you is a different matter. Your best weapon is your mind; a crack head isnt gonna want to shoot you in the middle of a city, but a bloke in the middle of the desert probably would given half the chance.

If I'm honest, I would say that was a very unwise assumption to make....

I can think of far more shootings in cities than in the country side and a crack-head in need of their next fix is about the most desperate, unpredicatble person you could come across....

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Adventure: it's an experience, not a style!
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Well, that bloke in the desert just watching while they robbed him! ...jeez..

it might be unwise but I'd have launched in with a huge boot to the head of the biggest one and then only had the smaller one to deal with. I couldnt just stand there like a wally.....

with regards pepper spray is illegal in quite a few countries and is not as effective as you might think, the bear spray type if im not mistaken is stronger version with better range but then again can u drive after you got some on yourself. Squeezy jif lemons[lemon juice ina plastic lemon shaped bottle] also work and were a favourite for neds before they decided bleach was more effective.
The idea of self defence is not to stand there and beat the crap out of your attacker its to get away as quick as possible whether it be from hand to hand or even at slight range.

A rape alarm is pretty good get the non electronic ones they are louder legal everywhere and at range will stun them for a few secs and close to the head will burst eardrums we had them in the prison service so I know how effective they can be. they also draw attention

The maglite again is a great idea at night it will cause them to lose night vision for a few secs and if you carry the larger ones they are very effective as a baton use it over your shoulder[ holding it with bottom of your hand up] and its already in a strike position. Aim for thigh or arm[if they have a knife] this will give them a dead arm or leg. IF you hit the leg theres a good chance they will get another step in before the leg hit collapses so move back. A strong hit to the head will kill them[not a good idea]. Hit the knee and again they could be disabled for life.

Mini maglites can very easily be used like a cubiton baton, they are pretty much a baton which sticks above the grip by about 2 inches and were issued to female officers these are used like a stabbing motion again going for arm/leg for the dead leg effect can also be used in a thrust to the chest to wind them. Pound coin holders or anything short and hard can be used even a folded map. DOnt put your thumb over teh maglite glass end!

Extendable batons are available the asp style ones are the best just make sure no one is behind you when u flick them out and dont extend them into your own leg. The american style ones with the side arm were not as good as they bent when you hit people know alot of coppers who went back to asps but again these are pretty much weapons.

To quote the old self defence instructor who I used to help teach women basics with the best form of self defence is very simply
"Dont be there"

or you could buy a ural and have a big dog in the sidecar

Nah, his grip on the offending weapon will be uneven, his vision clouded and his stance unsure. Combine that with the offender trying to conceal his actions and you have the odds in your favour.

"Nah, his grip on the offending weapon will be uneven, his vision clouded and his stance unsure. Combine that with the offender trying to conceal his actions and you have the odds in your favour."

the problem being is does he actually give a monkeys about concealing his actions and at point blank range will he miss.

when it comes to guns give them what they want, as its not worth it, items can be repalced you can not.

when it comes to knifes prepare to be cut if you go for it as even the best trained folk can make mistakes.

when it comes to everything else just hope your more commited than the other guy and if your outmatched help arrives in time to save your ass.

Ive seen crack heads carve themselves up and then laugh at 5-6 guys putting full control locks on them and smack heads laugh as you kick them in the balls with steel toe caps on. Not to mention the criminal insane guys who are already on enough tranqs to put a horse out still kick off. They may all feel it the next day but that doesnt help you.

Best just to show some common sense and miss any problems in the first place. If it looks wrong or feels wrong bail Id rather feel foolish than pain.

I wasn't commenting on his ability to shoot cherries off cigarette ends at 30 paces, but rather his willingness to pull the trigger.

As for the odds: if someone is pointing a gun at you, the odds are NOT in your favour, unless the assailant is suffering from the later stages of lock-jaw and the gun is one of my log-whittled Desert Eagles...

Still, if you feel gun-totting junkies are no cause for concern: good luck to you; personally, I'd be diving through the nearest open doorway.

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Adventure: it's an experience, not a style!
(so ride what you like, but ride it somewhere new!)

Good mantra!!

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Adventure: it's an experience, not a style!
(so ride what you like, but ride it somewhere new!)

Hi all
I've been following this thinking.....this is all a bit OTT for rural Morocco, no??
Obviously recent events in North Africa are making everyone on edge, but should they translate into feeling unsafe in Morocco?
I've certainly never felt threatened there in any way.
I guess cities are more of an issue, but are we really in any more danger than in the wrong part of any major city in the UK?
I still believe (thankfully, or what's the point) that a traveller in Morocco, with the right attitude, is infinitely more likely to be invited to tea than have a gun/knife pulled on them. And, in the unlikely event that it does all go tits up, let them take what they want and live to travel another day.
Just my two penneth worth.

Sam

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Indeed so. In the UK, pepper sprays are classed as prohibited weapons under section 5 of the Firearms Act (1968, as amended). Basically, they are in the same league as machine guns, nail bombs, RPG rocket launchers or weapons grade uranium. Minimum sentence on being caught with a pepper spray - 6 years in jail.

Geoffrey Kolbe

Tim

This is like finding out Father Christmas is a myth.